elusive to determine

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "elusive to determine" is not correct in standard written English.
A more appropriate expression would be "difficult to determine." Example: "The cause of the phenomenon remains elusive to determine, leaving researchers puzzled."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Judge Hand set forth a test, simple in theory but elusive in application, to determine when a character should be granted copyright protection.

Harvard University

Because the five muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes have overlapping distributions in many CNS tissues, and because ligands with a high degree of selectivity for a given subtype long remained elusive, it has been difficult to determine the physiological functions of each receptor.

Neuropharmacology

In this paper, we explore a variety of issues related to statutory rights of appraisal in Delaware, and the search by which to determine the sometimes elusive concept of fair value.

Harvard University

As the modification remains somewhat elusive, manipulating the levels of modification to determine its effect on proteasome activity is difficult.

EBioMedicine

This is a burning question in the field and one that remains elusive, in part because it is difficult to determine cause versus consequence when comparing chromatin states with transcriptional status.

Nature

After spending time looking across all of the categories to determine what makes the elusive shortlist, and what will eventually take home a Lion, there's a three-step formula that became apparent.

HuffPost

How these signaling pathways act together to determine the direction for cells to move remains elusive and requires more research.

BioMed Research International

In the American melting pot the mechanics of establishing guidelines to determine who would qualify for ugliness assistance seems as elusive as the notion of beauty itself.

The New York Times

The ranging behavior documented here must be considered when designing monitoring efforts to determine population and occupancy trends for this wide-ranging elusive carnivore.

Journal of Arid Environments

The farm has yet to determine a stud fee for Smarty Jones, a son of Elusive Quality, but breeding experts said it is likely to be between $75,000 to $150,000 a coupling.

The New York Times - Sports

Buffett's success is so elusive -- and so far, unreplicated -- that it took a team of Yale academics to determine the Oracle of Omaha does not owe his $73 billion fortune to magic.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using the phrase "elusive to determine", opt for alternatives like "difficult to determine" or "hard to ascertain" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Avoid directly pairing "elusive" with "to determine". The adjective "elusive" typically describes something that is difficult to find, catch, or achieve. To convey the idea of something being difficult to determine, use more appropriate phrases like "difficult to determine" or "hard to ascertain".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "elusive to determine" attempts to combine an adjective describing something difficult to grasp with a verb indicating the act of finding something out. However, it doesn't form a standard grammatical construction in English. Ludwig AI marks this as incorrect.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "elusive to determine" is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English, as noted by Ludwig AI. While the words themselves are common, their combination doesn't form a recognized idiomatic expression. To convey the intended meaning – that something is difficult to ascertain or establish – it's best to use alternatives such as "difficult to determine", "hard to ascertain", or "challenging to identify". These options are grammatically sound and ensure clarity in both formal and informal contexts. Remember to avoid directly pairing "elusive" with "to determine" to maintain grammatical accuracy in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to determine

Replaces "elusive" with a more common and direct synonym, making the phrase grammatically correct and easier to understand.

hard to determine

Similar to "difficult to determine", this option uses a simpler synonym for "elusive", maintaining the original meaning.

challenging to ascertain

Substitutes both "elusive" and "determine" with more formal synonyms, increasing the sophistication of the phrase.

difficult to ascertain

Uses "ascertain" as a more precise synonym for "determine", emphasizing the effort required to find something out.

hard to ascertain

Combines a simple adjective with a more formal verb, offering a balance between accessibility and precision.

difficult to establish

Replaces "determine" with "establish", focusing on the act of proving or confirming something.

hard to establish

Similar to "difficult to establish", this option provides a more straightforward alternative.

difficult to pinpoint

Uses "pinpoint" to emphasize the need for precise identification, adding a sense of specificity.

hard to pinpoint

Similar to "difficult to pinpoint", this option provides a more straightforward alternative.

challenging to identify

Focuses on the act of recognizing something, suitable when the goal is to distinguish one thing from others.

FAQs

What does it mean when something is described as "elusive"?

When something is described as "elusive", it means it is difficult to find, catch, understand, or achieve. The word suggests that the thing in question tends to slip away or avoid being grasped easily.

What is a grammatically correct way to express that something is difficult to determine?

Instead of saying "elusive to determine", you can use phrases like "difficult to determine", "hard to determine", or "challenging to ascertain". These alternatives are grammatically sound and clearly convey the intended meaning.

Can "elusive" be used with other verbs to describe the difficulty of achieving something?

Yes, "elusive" can be used with various verbs to describe the difficulty of achieving something. For example, you might say that success is "elusive to capture" or that a solution is "elusive to find". However, avoid using it directly with "determine".

Is there a difference between "difficult to determine" and "hard to determine"?

The phrases "difficult to determine" and "hard to determine" are very similar in meaning. "Difficult" is generally considered more formal, while "hard" is more informal. The choice between them often depends on the context and the desired tone.